I’ve had the pleasure of knowing some powerful people, some wealthy folk and some famous celebrities in my time, but I can name only one true legend.

Bert Shipp.

The 85-year-old WFAA-TV broadcast journalist died recently. A “CeleBERTion” of his life was held May 24 at the Texas Theatre. Close to 500 friends, family members, WFAA alums from across the nation, Dallas media characters, Press Club personalities, police officers, bartenders, bail bondsmen and others gathered.

Gloria Campos was the master of ceremonies. There was live music (Bert’s Best Boy Band), a recorded tribute by Jim Chapman and several heart-warming videos from Bert’s retirement parties.

I vividly remember the days when WFAA-TV in Dallas had the undisputed best TV news department in the United States. The dynamics changed when they brought in Marty Haag as news director. He, in turn, hired away Byron Harris, Tracy Rowlett and Doug Fox from a station in Oklahoma City. The weathered, street-smart Bert Shipp was made assignments editor and he ruled his news board with the authority of George Patton and the grace of Darth Vader. If you performed your duty well, he’d give you a star on the news board. If you were superlative, he’d call you Stallion — which was a huge compliment because he called everyone else in the world Hoss and that’s what people called him.

Bert’s other son, Bruce, thanked the crowd for coming to honor their dad. Daughter Stefanie remembered her father-daughter talk when she was a pre-teen. It was vintage Hoss.

Rowlett called Bert Shipp the glue that held the WFAA news department together. Stories flowed like fine wine, some were in a gray area and some can’t be printed in a family newspaper. There was the time in 1964 when he talked a cop into letting him into the Beatles’ room — where he got the only Dallas interview with John, Paul, George and Ringo — before Brian Epstein came in to chase him out.

For years I was able to share the stage with Bert and his wife Shan in the annual Dallas Press Club Gridiron Show. The two of them together were off-the-charts clever, witty, quick and fun.

To get a taste of Bert Shipp, read his book, “Details at 10.” You’ll see how unique he was, how he helped usher in the age of TV journalism and why he is a Dallas legend.

There’ll never be another character like him.

Kirk Dooley is a University Park writer. Contact him at kirk@texmexbook.com.